The Strawberry and the Sword
by blackindigocat
Summary: Since the events of "Sworn to the Sword" Connie has continued to train with Pearl to be fighter. Steven who is contempt with his shield watches on the sidelines as she fights but soon finds Pearl and Connie have been keeping something from him.


Right foot, left foot and Connie was charging toward Pearl's hologram with expertise. Her sword slammed against the hologram's and a rumble filled the sky arena. When Holo-Pearl's sword came towards her, Connie jumped out of the way, but soon enough tumbled back countering the attack with ferocity.

Steven was sitting on the sidelines watching Connie and his pupils filled with stars with each blow she delivered. The Holo-Pearls stood no chance against her, within a minute they hit the ground shattering upon contact. As soon as all the Holo Pearls were gone Connie turned around in triumph, a grin plastered on her face. Steven heard clapping and soon watched Pearl stand up heading toward Connie clasping a hand onto her shoulder as she lead Connie away from Steven's view.

Pearl was smiling she was "oh so proud" of her student, Connie had defied all of her expectations. "Just one more duel for today then we'll wrap up training." Pearl said with a smile.

"Yes ma'am." Answered Connie.

"Alright." Pearl replied as she fetched a sword. The blade and handle were thin but the sword was long and sharp. "You ready?" Pearl asked as she positioned herself, stance wide and body crouched.

"Hpm" Connie nodded as Pearl's sword came straight toward her and she countered faster than ever.

Steven heard the clash of swords and sighed, Connie was likely dueling Pearl. He was worried, every time Connie dueled Pearl she returned with a scratch. Luckily before her parents ever caught it, he would heal it, he healed all of her wounds. Steven heard the swords clash again and Connie's battle yowl before deciding to approach Pearl and Connie from behind. He climbed down the steps and walked quietly toward the noise. There were Connie and Pearl. A gash lay on Connie's cheek and Steven watched Pearl's sword meet Connie's again.

Connie dodged the forthcoming sword with a tumble backwards then charged towards Pearl. Her sword collided with the gem's again. Connie felt the blood on her cheek and her body getting weaker. She clambered forward keeping a hard gaze on Pearl before yowling triumphantly again.

Pearl was faster than Connie as she dueled her student. She could identify each move before Connie made it, so with each attack Connie delivered, Pearl could counter with ease.

Pearl identified the patter of footsteps and spun around identifying Steven behind them. "Steven, stay away you might get hurt." Pearl yowled as she continued parrying her sword towards Connie.

"But you're already hurting her!" Steven yowled as he watched injured Connie breath heavily as she attacked Pearl yet again.

"I'm one of the weakest enemies she can fight, if she wants to join us, fighting corrupted gems she needs to beat me."

"Wait," Steven paused and looked at Connie who had stopped attacking Pearl, her head was dipped down. "You want to join the crystal gems?" He asked Connie.

Connie nodded her head and smiled before giving a light laugh, "More than anything." She replied.

Steven brought his palm to his mouth and once he approached Connie pressed his palm to her wounded cheek. When he removed it the bloody gash was gone. "But you know that being a crystal gem isn't as great as it seems right?"

"What could be better than your life Steven?" Connie asked with a grin, "You have magic! That's like the coolest thing ever!"

"A lot of things." Steven replied solemnly as he looked Connie in the eyes. They were inches apart right now, their lips even closer. "I've always wished I was a normal human, my whole life I've been expected to be like my mom. A-and, the thing is you know this but I'm not my mom, I wish they would let me be me. If I was human, my mom would still be here and I'd be…I'd be normal. And the other gems… we're together because we don't fit in anywhere else..."

Connie rested a hand against Steven's cheek, "I never thought about it that way, I'm sorry Steven." She replied as she pulled him in for a hug. Steven hugged her back before shrugging away and taking a few steps back.

"I'll let you get back to your training." Steven said with a nod as he shuffled off to the side where he had been sitting. As soon as he sat down he was once again greeted with a battle yowl of Connie and the clang of sword as Connie and Pearl continued their duel.

Connie was thinking hard about what Steven had said as she attacked Pearl. She didn't understand it, she was somehow always being deflected. But in a moment of distraction, Pearl's sword came towards her, hanging near her neck and there she had lost.

Except she hadn't in the very moment that Pearl gave a sly grin happy to have defeated her student yet again, Connie countered slamming Pearl's sword back and holding her blade at the gems neck. "Congratulations Connie," The gem replied with a laugh, "I suppose you win for today."

Connie smiled as she headed back over to Steven and grinned grabbing the boy's hand as Steven more than happily rushed them towards the warp pad. They had soon warped home, Connie still dressed in her sword training outfit as she grinned. Steven lead her onto the beach and smiled before plopping down in the sand. Connie set her sword next to her and adjusted her hair.

The silence was nice as both Steven and Connie smiled to one another before Steven spoke, "So, did you really mean what you said today?" Steven asked as he looked at Connie.

The once comforting silence turned awkward and the air felt thick. Connie gulped as she met Steven's gaze yet again, "Yeah…" She whispered quietly, "I did… Steven about what you said I don't fit in either…"

"Of course you do! You must have friends who care about you at school?"

"But that's the thing, I don't have any other friends… Steven you were the first friend I made and remain the only friend I've made. Nobody at my school likes me they think I'm too nerdy, too geeky and too introverted. Steven when we became friends I finally felt like I fit in I was with a bunch of outcasts like me…"

Steven gave a smile but then his face contorted into a frown, "You don't have to do this for me, you know that right?"

"I know…" Connie answered with a smile, "But I want to, I want to protect you Steven, you matter to me."

"But I want to protect you!" Steven exclaimed, "I don't want you to risk your life for me! Before Pearl viewed our relationship as her and my mother's relationship but we're not like that are we?"

"No we're not." Connie replied as her hand dug into the sand. "I just wish it was possible to fight alongside you, together."

Steven began to laugh before his hand grasped onto Connie's tightly causing the indian girl to blush, "I know a way to do that."

He himself blushed before taking his phone from his pocket and playing "Alone Together" the song he'd played when they'd first danced. He pressed play and dug his phone into the sand as the familiar melody began to play and Connie and himself giggled. He soon felt Connie's hands touch his and smiled as they began to dance. His gem glowed and they were close to one another again. As pink light consumed both, Steven grinned towards Connie and let their foreheads touch just the way they had before.

There emerged Stevonnie, proud and bold. They were dressed as a knight, Connie's sword training outfit seemed to dress the whole fusion. Stevonnie lifted Connie's sword and summoned Steven's shield before triumphantly charging forward.


End file.
